


serendipity

by transkakashi



Category: Naruto
Genre: Canon Compliant, Hokage Hatake Kakashi, M/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-24
Updated: 2017-01-24
Packaged: 2018-09-19 16:18:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9450026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/transkakashi/pseuds/transkakashi
Summary: Kakashi had never thought peace would taste so sweet.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [water_bby](https://archiveofourown.org/users/water_bby/gifts).



 

The wind ruffled Kakashi’s hair, the cool breeze heralding the beginning of night. Springs in the Land of Fire were hot, but the nights were cool. Kakashi looked up into the darkening sky and smiled to himself, a secret smile just for himself and the world.

Nothing had happened today. Or yesterday, either. Or the day before that. Or the week before that. It’d been a year since the last _real_ international incident with the Raikage, but things had settled down once Kakashi had tired of normal diplomacy and had simply sent in Naruto and his charm. His former student might have trouble dealing with the daimyo and the unnecessarily complicated politics of the court there, but he did just fine with the other villages. Kakashi didn’t know whether to be relieved or frustrated about it. Who dealt the worst with their own country?

He shook his head slightly. Nothing had happened lately. _Nothing._

Peace tasted sweet. Kakashi had waited his entire life to savour its flavour, and he found that it suited him well.

Hearing light footsteps behind him, Kakashi turned to see Sakura smiling while leaning on his balcony doorframe.

“All done with the hospital?” Kakashi asked. Sakura was all grown up now – she ran the hospital by herself, with occasional input from Tsunade when the former Hokage felt like it. The responsibility fit her well. Sakura was happy with where she was in life.

“For tonight. We’ve had a little break out of the summer fever, but it’s pretty easily dealt with. Just got a few dozen patients in our waiting room complaining about their temperatures.”

Kakashi knew that if it was something to worry about, Sakura wouldn’t be here, so he put it out of his mind. He had his own duties to worry him, and he had learned a long time ago that he could rely on Sakura for anything relating to medical issues.

Sakura’s smile turned lopsided. Kakashi realised he hadn’t said anything. “You know, it’s still weird to see you with your headband up. Even after all these years.”

Kakashi shrugged one shoulder. He’d passed the mark where he’d been living with his own two eyes for most of his life a few years ago. Sometimes when he woke up he walked around with an eye closed for half an hour or so, but he always realised before he left his house. Iruka thought it was funny, and that was how Kakashi usually figured it out – Iruka’s sweet smile turned sly as he drank his coffee.

“Do you feel it, around this time of year?” Kakashi asked her. Sakura pulled that face she made when she was thinking before she answered him.

“What, about the battle, and Madara and Obito…” She trailed off, but Kakashi just nodded. Tomorrow was the thirteenth anniversary of the end of that colossal fight, a day to remember and mourn but to also be grateful for the peace. Kakashi lifted his head to the wind again.

“I don’t know,” Sakura murmured. “It almost doesn’t seem real. You know what I mean? Like, how could that have happened? With the dimension hopping, and the final push, with Kurama and everyone working together…” She sighed. “I would hope that we could do something together like that again, but I don’t know. Everything just seems so different now. Like it was all just a dream.”

“You were young when it happened,” Kakashi told her. “It’s been a long time since then, and we haven’t really had anything like it happen again. I don’t even know if something like that _could_ happen again. I hope not.”

“You’re awfully moody tonight.” Sakura raised an eyebrow. “You feeling alright?”

“Yes,” Kakashi reassured her. “I think it’s just the timing.”

Sakura nodded in understanding. “We’re still on for Naruto’s birthday tomorrow though, right? You can’t miss that. And don’t be late.” She gave him a stink eye.

Kakashi would never miss anything from his students, ever, if he could help it. Unfortunately, a lot of his tardiness was for a good reason nowadays. Being the Hokage was a twenty four seven kind of job.

“I’m still coming,” Kakashi said. “And I think I’ll finish some things up here before I go home, so I won’t even be late.” He smiled at her, and Sakura’s face lightened.

“Good. I’ll see you there, then.” Kakashi watched as she left, then turned back to look out over the bustling village. Lights were being lit, and as he waited, the town below him became a reflection of the stars above, bright pinpricks of light in a dark ocean.

He’d take in the night for a little longer before he went back inside to deal with the grumblings of the merchants guild. He deserved a bit of a break.

 

* * *

 

“Kakashi?”

Kakashi startled awake, hand on the short sword under his desk. But when he looked up, it was only Airi, his assistant, who was standing in front of him. Born an Inuzuka, she’d lost her dog partner in the war against Madara. It was a hard thing for any Inuzuka to take, but Airi had never really bounced back. Nowadays she was an Inuzuka in history only, and the only things marking her as once belonging to that Clan were the blood red fangs down her cheeks.

“What time is it?” He asked her, rubbing his eyes. He’d managed to fall asleep on his paperwork. It wasn’t the first time, but it was kind of embarrassing when Airi had to come and wake him up.

“Nearly two,” Airi told him, fussing about his office tidying up bits of paper. Kakashi wasn’t sure what he would do without her and her constant fussing. He tried not to let that on, though. It would probably only increase her mother hen tendencies. “You’ll worry Iruka if you stay out much later. He’ll think you’ve gone out moping again.”

A bit of defensive energy prompted Kakashi to stand up and help her with the papers. “I don’t _mope._ ”

Airi gave him a look that clearly told him that he was full of bullshit. Kakashi resisted the urge to rub the back of his neck. Airi had always had the ability to see through the façade he put up for most people. The only person who could see through it better than her was Iruka.

“You’d better go home,” she told him gently. “It’s late, and from what I hear, you have a party to go to tomorrow.”

Kakashi let her herd him out of his office, and then started down the stairs. This late, the only other people up were the young jounin and the new chuunin, who were always ready to prove their worth by getting by on less sleep than they probably needed. He was past that, and he was eager to get home to Iruka, to see him and ask about his day, if his kids had been acting up or not, or if he’d managed to crack the latest seal he’d been working on. Most likely Iruka would be asleep when he got there, but one could always hope.

The house that they had moved into shortly after Kakashi had become Hokage was away from the bustling main centre of the village. There was a bit of forest around it, and it was right next to a path that led up to the top of Hokage Cliff. Kakashi knew his ANBU guards liked it as well, because the forest gave them an excuse to stretch on long shifts on the pretence of ‘checking’ the forest.  

Although sometimes they ran into Iruka’s traps, but that was their own fault, really. Iruka made good traps, so Kakashi didn’t discipline any of them over it – the jokes they got around ANBU HQ were probably bad enough punishment.

Kakashi waved for his guards to take up perimeter positions, and he felt more than heard them jump up into the trees. He unlocked the ward on the door and let himself in, stepping over the creaky places in the wood floor in the probably vain hope that he wouldn’t wake Iruka up.

Sure enough, when he got to the top of the landing, Iruka was blearily looking up at him from their bed.

“What are you doing up so late?” Iruka grumbled half-heartedly. Kakashi stripped out of his working clothes and snuggled in under the blanket that Iruka had held up for him.

“Just doing some late night paperwork,” Kakashi said quietly.

“I figured,” Iruka mumbled. “Now go to sleep and stop disturbing me before I kick you out.”

There was no force behind the threat, and Kakashi grinned into the darkness as Iruka yawned and rubbed up against him before finding a comfortable spot to go back to sleep.

Still smiling, Kakashi closed his eyes and slipped away.

 

* * *

 

Kakashi wasn’t quite sure who’s idea the party had been. Naruto’s birthday was the same day as the day the last war had ended, so everyone was usually sombre, taking the day to reflect and remember. And there was nothing wrong with that – Kakashi would be the last person to judge anyone’s grief. But it meant that most people weren’t usually in the mood to celebrate. Naruto took it well, but a part of Kakashi wondered how much of that was because Naruto wasn’t really comfortable with birthdays, and people fussing over him, and being the centre of attention for a reason he didn’t prompt.

But it was good to get everyone’s mind off their losses, and Kakashi liked that it meant they celebrated Naruto as well. When he arrived at the chosen venue (Sakura’s house – it had a big back yard), there were already a few people milling around, chatting quietly. No one had gone for loud colours today, and most had a piece of black clothing. Sakura was wearing a black ribbon bracelet, and Hinata had tied her hair back with a piece of black ribbon that trailed down her back.

Lee and Kiba were helping Shino and Ino bring out the food, with Naruto’s kids running around under their feet. Down near the koi pond, Kakashi could see Kurenai and Mirai talking with Tenten. No one looked stressed, and even though Shikamaru was out on a mission, Ino didn’t seem worried; no one did. They all knew that he could handle himself. It was calming, and it let Kakashi cross Sakura’s courtyard confidently.

Kakashi had been talking with Kurenai for a bit when Naruto and Iruka appeared from Sakura’s back door. Naruto was wearing his normal clothes, and Iruka was grinning at something he had said. As they walked towards the rest of the party, they looked comfortable in their own skin, like they didn’t need anyone else besides each other to enjoy the day. Kakashi could see it, but he thought it might just come from the fact that he knew it was true. Kurenai inclined her head, and Kakashi went to meet them.

“Kakashi-sensei!” Naruto bounded over excitedly. “I’m glad you could make it.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Kakashi reassured him. Iruka flashed a smile at them both, but it turned warmer when he looked at Kakashi.

“We’re taking Kakashi’s role as the last ones here,” Iruka said warmly. “You should go and greet your other guests Naruto.”

“Well, they’re Sakura’s guests more than mine,” Naruto tried to deflect.

“They’re here for you,” Iruka reminded him. “You should thank them for that.”

Naruto drew in a breath, his chest expanding. “Well, duh. As if I wasn’t going to go and talk to everyone anyway. Don’t worry about me, Iruka. I’ve got this whole courtesy thing down.”

And with that, Naruto turned to herd his kids away from where they were still getting in the way of the food getting set up. Iruka sighed quietly, a contented sound, and leaned on Kakashi’s arm lightly, more for touch than anything else.

“What are you thinking?” Iruka asked. “I know that face.”

“Just that you and Naruto look like you could easily spend the whole day together without anyone else and be perfectly satisfied.”

“Satisfied, maybe. But it’s better being around more people, don’t you think?”

Kakashi made a neutral sound in the back of his throat. Naruto thought that it was better to be around more people – Kakashi knew that, had known that for years. Naruto focused better when he had more people to interact with, to bounce ideas off and to shake inspiration out of.

Kakashi blinked, and it was like he was seeing the gathered people in a new light. Their interactions and laughter spilled over him, and he soaked it up, gathering information in a way that he hadn’t needed to do for years. Naruto was thirty today. He’d come a long way from the hyperactive underfed child that he’d been when Kakashi had first met him. When he looked at Naruto now, Kakashi saw excitement tempered with experience, and joy balanced with caution.

He was as ready as he was ever going to get.

Kakashi blinked again, and everything was restored to its normal place. A sunny day in a garden, filled with family and friends. A good place to be.

When he looked at Iruka, he had one eyebrow raised. “You alright?”

“I was thinking,” Kakashi started, suddenly sure of his decision.

“Always a bad habit,” Iruka joked, elbowing him slightly.

Kakashi rolled his eyes in solidarity. “Yeah, yeah. Look. I know that the last few years have been tough. Ever since I became Hokage, really. And I know that you don’t love that it’s my job, but you get why I do it.”

“Where are you going with this?” Iruka asked. His eyes weren’t suspicious, just curious.

“You know that hot springs place we went to on our honeymoon?”

“In the Land of Water?”

“Yeah.”

“I remember.” Iruka peered at him, trying to get to the root of what Kakashi was thinking. “Why?”

“Well,” Kakashi started. He was still conscious of the others moving in the garden, but his attention was on Iruka. “We should go there again. When I retire.”

Iruka levelled a look at him. “Are you trying to say what I think you’re trying to say?”

Kakashi turned his head to look at Naruto. “Look at him,” he prompted, voice soft. “He knows all he’s gonna know before taking the hat on. I’ve been at this for eleven years now. I think he can take over.”

Iruka’s face always got this weird look on it when he looked at Naruto, and Naruto didn’t know he was looking. Like he was so proud, and yet wistful at the same time. “You’re right,” he said after a few seconds.

They didn’t need to say anything else, their feelings flowing between them freely. Both of them had spent so long reading the other, they knew what the other would say almost before they said it.

“When do you want to tell him?”

Kakashi shrugged a shoulder. “After the party. I’ll corner him before we go.”

Iruka smiled, wide and happy. Kakashi basked in it. He’d fought long and hard to get to see that smile, and it was worth every second. To be here, under the trees, watching as the next generation laughed and celebrated, even on a day like this. Naruto would be a good Hokage. He genuinely enjoyed being around people, which Kakashi just didn’t have in him.

Kakashi could see it now – a long, windy road, with a few bumps and potholes, but a road nonetheless. A road to peace.

He thought about what it had taken to get here. The trials and tribulations. The suffering, the death. Kakashi’s own role in everything.

Iruka slipped his hand into Kakashi’s. He seemed to be enjoying the day as well.  

Kakashi sighed, looked up at the sky, and smiled. 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it :D


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